“I don’t know what the hell you’ve been doing for the last five years, but I’ve been a slave. I’m not playing a part. I’ve been living the part my whole life! Sir,” I add the word like an exclamation at the end of my sentence, hissing it like a cuss.
But if I thought I was going to get an apology, I was very wrong. Evander just walks to the bar and pours himself a stiff drink.
His hand trembles ever so slightly, though. I know it’s not anger. It’s because I spoke of his past, and it cut him deeply.
I feel no remorse, though. He needs to be more mindful when he speaks.
Conan looks at me with new eyes. “I love your fire,” he murmurs, with a hint of wonder.
Evander sips his drink, and considers Conan’s compliment.
“Just keep it inside, tonight.” He’s not chastising me – just reminding me of the stakes we face. “Now, go get ready. Bullfrogs gamble for hours on end, but I want to get there before they lose it all. We leave in fifteen minutes, understood?”
It only takes me ten to get ready.
When I finally emerge from the bedroom, I know I look nowhere near as good as I did at the auction that morning – but I know the Bullfrogs will still be frothing at the mouth for me.
It’s not just because the dress is tight and revealing, as specified - although I’m glad I’ll have the three Aurelians to protect me. Wearing something like this in Lipa alone would be a very bad idea.
No, though. I know the Bullfrogs desire me because they Aurelians got me first. Just like with Peter Paradooli, I’m not a person to them – I’m a prize. One they feel the Aurelians stole unfairly from them.
Well, guess what? They’re about to ‘steal’ Danielle, too.
Determined, I step out of the bathroom – and all three Aurelians instantly stare at me, as if they’d never seen a woman before.
I feel naked under the heat of their gaze. “What?”
There’s that hint of a smile on Evander’s lips again. It’s more infuriating than if he’d worn a cocky grin.
“You’re ravishing,” Evander purrs. “I’d be honored to have a woman like you as my mate.”
I can’t help but feel the corners of my lips curl, but I try to hide any reaction.
“Let’s just focus on what needs to be done, okay?”
Augustus never smiles – but there’s a light to his eyes I haven’t seen before.
“There’s not a man in the casino who is going to be focused on anything but you, angel.”
Despite everything, I blush – and I hate that he has the power to make blush so easily.
I always knew Peter enjoyed having me on display, but no other men ever looked at me - none other than him. Perhaps this was because they feared having their eyes burned out by the man in charge – but I’d always wondered if it was because I was too large… Too curvy… Too womanly...
But all those things I used to doubt about myself – all the insecurities I used to be embarrassed about – suddenly seem to melt away as these three men look at me.
Evander holds out the leash. I shudder as I look at it, remembering how he used it to pull me so sharply against his body. It makes me feel so submissive to be collared to this tall, towering man.
But the worst thing? Part of that turns me on.
I shamefully bow my head, and he affixes the collar tightly around my neck. I’m his now. Where he goes, I have to follow. Everyone that sees me when we walk through the casino will be gossiping about the three looming, lecherous alien warriors – and how all three of them are using my body.
They’ll call me a slut, and a whore as I walk by – as if being sold as a slave to the Aurelians was my choice.
But I’ll hold my head up high. The opinions of the denigrates who enjoy gossiping about pleasure slaves – slaves they themselves are too poor to afford – no longer concerns me.
“Let’s go,” I command, and the Aurelians don’t even hesitate to obey me.
Together, the four of us leave the hotel. If it wasn’t for the leash around my neck, I might even feel like a princess being escorted by her royal contingent – huge, powerful men in suits dedicated to her protection.
But soon, Evander takes the lead, and Conan and Augustus step behind me like huge, hulking shadows. The strangest though flashes through my mind…
They would take a bullet for me.
I don’t know where it comes from, but it feels true.
This time, when we get into the Aurelian’s luxurious ship, I don’t feel afraid. I now trust these men – to protect me, to save my friend, and it doesn’t matter what dark secrets they might have hiding from their past.
As we fly, Evander fondles the Orb-Weapon at his waist. The tailor-made suits even have a special holster for their weapons.
“I hope those Bullfrogs make a move,” he murmurs.
I shake my head. “You don’t. Peter has men – many men. He wants to do business with those slimy bastards, and if they say the word, he’ll descend on you.”
Evander keeps looking ahead as he pilots upwards into the air. He snorts: “How many men?”
I run the numbers through my head. The Aurelians need to know what they’re getting into. I think back to the many strategy meetings that I was forced to serve wine and food at. Peter liked being able to snap his fingers and have me refill his cup. He got a strange thrill from it – for some reason, service satisfied him more than sex. He liked to have women like me at his beck and call constantly…
…and now, it will come back to bite him.
I paid attention at all those meetings I was forced to attend. There was nothing else
